Prayer has power.
Prayer is a necessary resource to lean on as you navigate the challenges of an eating disorder. Prayer is a conversation with God. He wants to hear from you! God’s Word has much to say about prayer. Jeremiah 29:12 tells us, “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.” In Psalm 145:18, we learn that “The Lord is near to all who call on Him; to all who call on Him in truth.”
One way to pray is to use the A.C.T.S. prayer model.
This can be an effective way to organize our thoughts and requests. The acronym A.C.T.S. stands for adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication.
Let’s take a closer look at each one:
A – Adoration/Attributes: Praise God for His attributes! Praising God helps remind us of who He is. Each time I praise Him for His attributes, my frustrations, and worries are eclipsed by His greatness. He is greater than our circumstances. God can do far more than all that we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). Praise Him as attributes come to mind, or you can pray scripture back to Him—Isaiah 9:6 comes to mind: “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Reminding myself of these attributes, again and again, has settled these truths deep in my heart! Some also find it helpful to praise God’s attributes alphabetically: He is Almighty, Blessed, Comforter, Divine...
C – Confession: Confess your sins to the Lord who loves and forgives. Confessing our sins allows us to approach a Holy God with a clean heart. 1 John 1:9 tells us, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Confessing can help give us peace and comfort.
T – Thanksgiving: Going through an eating disorder with your loved one is hard, yet it’s often in the darkness that the Light shines the brightest. Ask yourself, “How have I seen God working? What can I thank Him for?” During a trial, it may be more difficult to offer thanksgiving, but God will show us how to focus on His blessings instead of our struggles. In our prayer groups for loved ones struggling with an eating disorder, it is amazing how much we have thanked God, even amid trials. Ask Him to help you see the blessings. (See below for more information on prayer groups for loved ones struggling with an eating disorder).
S – Supplication: We have the great privilege to present our requests to God for our loved ones. What do we ask? Of course, we ask for healing, but there are other things we can pray for, some of which you may not have considered.
Here are some suggestions as to what you can pray for your loved one who is struggling:
That this struggle will draw them closer to the Lord and strengthen their faith.
They would desire recovery and seek effective treatment.
Compassion and wisdom for those providing treatment—physicians, dietitians, therapists, etc.
God would provide the necessary treatment and the finances to access treatment.
They would have the strength to persevere. That they will see progress and be encouraged.
Complete healing from their eating disorder and protection from relapse.
Journeying through an eating disorder with a loved one is not easy; however, God is near and always hears our prayers. We cannot “fix” our loved one’s situation—we need to trust the One who can. Romans 12:12 tells us to “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
Ask the Lord to help you trust Him and persevere in prayer. He is faithful and He is listening.
This guest blog post was written by Beth Ask. Beth has a passion to support others in prayer as they walk through the difficult journey of an eating disorder. She has found peace, comfort and hope from God’s Word and prayer as she has struggled with eating and food issues, both personally and professionally. Beth is a wife, mother, women’s ministry volunteer and Registered Dietitian. She leads the EATING DISORDERS DAY of PRAYER to be held March 1, 2023, during National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. Register here. Beth also leads prayer groups for eating disorder providers Rock Recovery and Finding Balance. For more information on these prayer groups go to: https://www.rockrecoveryed.org/parents-loved-ones-support-group/ and https://findingbalance.mykajabi.com/community-groups Email Beth at: eatingdisorderprayer@gmail.com
